title: Mitofusion-2-mediated alleviation of insulin resistance in rats through reduction in lipid intermediate accumulation in skeletal muscle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction within skeletal muscle have been shown to be strongly associated with insulin resistance. However, the role of mitofusion-2 (MFN2), a key factor in mitochondrial function and energy metabolism, in skeletal muscle lipid intermediate accumulation remains to be elucidated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high-fat diet resulted in insulin resistance as well as accumulation of cytosolic lipid intermediates and down-regulation of MFN2 and CPT1 in skeletal muscle in rats, while MFN2 overexpression improved insulin sensitivity and reduced lipid intermediates in muscle, possibly by upregulation of CPT1 expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MFN2 overexpression can rescue insulin resistance, possibly by upregulating CPT1 expression leading to reduction in the accumulation of lipid intermediates in skeletal muscle. These observations contribute to the investigations of new diabetes therapies.
authors.affiliation: Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050030Hebei, China.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guangyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Kexin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Dexian
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Luping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; C489710:Mfn2 protein, rat